BANGOR With less than a week to go before the annual Independence Day parade and fireworks celebration, contributors closed in on this year goal of $49,000 with over $8,000 in donations last week.

Led by a $7,500 donation by Bangor Federal Credit Union, donors stepped up to the plate to fund the additional cost of this year's fireworks guaranteed to be the largest display in Maine and allow organizers to carry forward funds for next year after a devastating embezzlement at the hands of its former treasurer.

'I truly appreciate the help we've received from the community, which has made this event not only possible but also the largest fireworks display in the state,' Bernatche said. 'It will be able to provide the greater Bangor area with an entire day of Independence Day celebrations and entertainment.'

New this year are children's activities at the concert site, including bounce houses donated by The Maine Jump. The bounce houses will be available to those who have donated to gain admission to the concert venue. The requested donation is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 12 and under. All proceeds from the concert event go to charity.

Editor's Note:

To help the 4th of July Corporation reach its goal of $49,000 for this year's event, business and individuals may still make a contribution to this wonderful community event by sending your check or money order payable to the 4th of July Corporation, C/O The Maine Edge, P.O. Box 2639, Bangor, ME, 04402-2639.

Complete list of donors as of July 2:

Awards, Signage & Trophies $ 25

Marla Saliba $ 25

Ronald Mixon $25

Sweet Stuff Fine Chocolates $25

Bangor Humane Society $50

Bouchard Cleaning & Restoration $50

Guy L. Baker $50

Lawn Buddy $50

Peter & Rosa Caristi $50

K.L. Miner $50

Kah Bang $50

Lanham Blackwell PA $50

Penobscot Democratic Committee $50

Bagel Central $125 

Bangor Savings Bank $125 

Black Bear Inn $125

Days Inn $125 

Econo Lodge $125 

Fireside Inn & Suites $125

Greenway Equiptment $125 

Hero's Sports Grill $125 

Lane Construction $125 

NH Bragg $125

Oriental Jade $125 

Quality Inn $125 

Bangor Glass $250 

Bernatche Auto Body $250 

Bob Dalton Team $250 

Brogue Insurance $250 

Central Maine Wireless $250 

Eagle Crest Riverview Motel $250 

Frenchie's Famous Franks $250

Links $250 

Miller Drug $250 

PDQ Door $250 

Penobscot Cleaning $250 

RentBangor.com $250 

Rudman Winchell $250 

Sutherland Weston $250 

UPS Store $250 

WBRC $250 

Brewer Motor Inn $500 

Cornwell Tools $500 

Hampden Kiwanis $500

Maine Savings FCU $500 

Oxford Networks $500 

Bangor Kiwanis $1,000

Breakfast Kiwanis $1,000

Brewer Kiwanis $1,000

Cyr Bus $1,000

Darling's $1,000

Hollywood Casino $1,000

Orono Old Town Kiwanis $1,000

Van Syckle $1,000

City of Brewer $2,000

C & L Aero Space $2,500

Webbs RV $2,500

City of Bangor $5,000

Quirk Auto $5,000

WABI TV 5 $5,000

Bangor Federal Credit Union $7,500

Atlantic Communications in-kind

Maine Equip & Party Rental in-kind

Maine Jump in-kind

Bangor Letter Shop in-kind

St. Joseph Hospital in-kind

Bangor Motorsports in-kind

Fireside Inn & Suites in-kind

Getchell Brothers in-kind

Total raised thus far: $46,050

Needed to reach goal: $  2,920

With charity concert lineup set, fireworks display to be the largest in state

BANGOR Area companies and individuals stepped up heavily and contributed over $11,000 last week, leaving just $9,300 to go to reach this year's fundraising goal with just two weeks left before the annual Independence Day parade and fireworks celebration.

According to Tony Bernatche, chair of the nonprofit 4th of July Corporation, this year's goal was set at $49,000 to fund both the day's parade and fireworks, the latter of which is the largest expense of the day's celebration, and rebuild the organization after it suffered an embezzlement last year by its treasurer.

With charity concert lineup set, fireworks display to be the largest in state

BANGOR Area companies and individuals stepped up heavily and contributed over $7,000 last week, leaving just $440 to go to reach this year's fundraising goal with just two weeks left before the annual Independence Day parade and fireworks celebration.

According to Tony Bernatche, chair of the nonprofit 4th of July Corporation, this year's goal was set at $25,000 but with such a strong response organizers hope to allocate closer to $30,000 for both the day's parade and fireworks, the latter of which is the largest expense of the day's celebration. On the heels of the success of last year's fireworks display it was the largest Bangor area residents have seen in recent memory Bernatche said the great response from the community this year will allow organizers to commit the additional $5,000, making this year's display the largest in the state.

BANGOR - With Independence Day just four weeks away, the Bangor Fourth of July committee has only raised one third of what it needs for the day's festivities.

"It's very historical that a great deal of the money comes in the last two weeks, which is frightening to me [as July 4 chair]," explained Tony Bernatche. "We're looking at a $30,000 budget this year and so far we're at $9,500."

This will be Representative Doug Damon's 15th year serving as parade chair. He said this year there will be not one, but two grand marshals in the parade.

"This is a Kiwanis parade, so we have Paul Lucy, the president of the Orono-Old Town Kiwanis. He's 92 years old and flew Navy fighters in WW2. In the Korean conflict, he got called back and was a helicopter pilot. So he'll be our Kiwanis grand marshal," explained Damon. "Our parade grand marshal is the Bangor Children's Museum. They'll have a nice parade float up front."